A group of students from Ipswich who are studying Performing Arts have been selected to take part in a special performance run by the Royal Shakespeare Company in Stratford, to mark 400 years since the death of the Bard.

And to mark this achievement, Ben Gummer MP paid them a visit to hear all about their plans for the special one-off performance of A Midsummer Nights’ Dream.

The Ipswich MP Ben Gummer met students from across a wide range of creative courses, from Art and Design, Music, Media technology, Games Design, Film, Television, Photography and Performing Arts, who are all coming together for the special performance in July, where Suffolk New College is  one of only 40 schools and colleges nationwide to have been chosen.

The visit has been organised by performing arts lecturer and founder of Matthew Townshend Productions, Matthew Townshend, who later this year is also producing a season of Shakespeare performances in Suffolk and Essex locations to mark 400 years since the playwright’s death.

Matthew said: “We are thrilled that the College has been selected as one of only 40 schools and colleges nationwide who are being invited to perform at the Other Place in Stratford Upon Avon in July as part of the Royal Shakespeare Company’s celebration.

“It’s great that our MP has taken time out of his busy diary to come here and see our creativity in action and then help us launch a unique project that will be a once in a  lifetime experience for our students who will be travelling to Stratford in July.”

Ben Gummer MP added: “Ipswich is full of talent when it comes to the Performing Arts and it’s been a huge pleasure to meet the students and see how excited and enthusiastic they are about this opportunity. I am sure they will do Ipswich and Suffolk proud.”